YWCA of Asheville is excited to announce the theme for the 2018 Stand Against Racism: Our Power, Our Mission, Our Future. We look forward to focusing this year's campaign on supporting full access and engagement for women and girls of color in the political process. Voting rights and civic engagement are, and have always been, core components of our racial justice work, and this year's theme certainly comes at a pivotal time as civil rights continue to be attacked and eroded for communities of color throughout the country. YWCA of Asheville calls on all community members to join us in taking a Stand Against Racism during our annual campaign this April. Stand events will be taking place throughout the month in Asheville & Buncombe County with many ways for individuals and groups to participate. Stand Against Racism is a partnership of YWCA Associations nationwide to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism. This campaign is one part of our larger national strategy to fulfill our mission of eliminating racism. It is not too late to plan your own private or public Stand Against Racism event, and there are many ways it can take shape. ·         Talk Within Your Group: Have dialogue about race based on inspirational quotes, a common reading or a video, which brings out these issues. You could also research ways your organization does or does not serve African-American, Latinx and other communities of color. Discuss with your colleagues and look for ways to be more inclusive and equitable. ·         Day of Support: A day of support can be as simple as having employees at a business or students at a school wear "Stand Against Racism" t-shirts or buttons. Put up Stand Against Racism posters or create a sign in front of your building that says, "We stand against racism with the YWCA." ·         Educational Events: Host a film screening, panel discussion or local speaker. ·         Rally: Host an inspirational rally to raise public awareness, put pressure on local decision makers or take local action. ·         Service Project: Partner with another local organization or business to reach out and give back to the community. Service projects are an excellent way to start conversations, bring people together from different parts of the community and gain perspective around racial issues in the Asheville area. ·         Social Media Action: Encourage people to tweet or post on Facebook about how they plan to combat racism in the community. Participate in the #StandAgainstRacism photo petition by sending in photos of you and others wearing Stand Against Racism t-shirts and buttons. For more details about this campaign, to sign up to host a Stand, or to look up scheduled events, visit www.ywcaofasheville.org/standagainstracism. For local information, please contact Gerry Leonard, Racial Justice & Outreach Specialist at gleonard@ywcaofasheville.org.